Estimating in Building Construction

FIGURE 16.3.Length of Walls.

are required. Various types of channels are available. Cold-
rolled channels, used for drywall or wetwall construction,
are made of 16-gauge steel, 1/4 to 2 inches wide and available
in lengths of up to 20 feet. These channels must be wire-tied
to supporting construction. They are used primarily as a
supporting grid for the lighter drywall channels to which the
wallboard may be screw attached.
Drywall channels are 25-gauge electrogalvanized steel
and are designed for screw attachment of wallboard; nailable
channels are also available. The channels may be used in
conjunction with the cold-rolled channels or installed over
the wood, steel, masonry, or concrete supporting the con-
struction. These drywall channels may be plain or resilient.
The resilient channels are often used over wood and metal
framing to improve sound isolation and to help isolate the
wallboard from structural movement.
Metal furring is sold by the linear foot. The estimator
needs to determine the size and types of furring required,
the square footage to be covered, and then the linear footage
of each type. Also note the type and spacing of fasteners.
Labor and equipment will depend on the type of supporting
construction, height and length of walls, shape of walls
(straight or irregular), and fastening.

Wood Furring. Strips are often used with wood frame,

masonry, and concrete to provide a suitably plumb, true, or

properly spaced supporting construction. These furring

strips may be 1 2 inches spaced 16 inches on center, or 2 

2 inches spaced 24 inches on center. Occasionally, larger

strips are used to meet special requirements. They may be

attached to masonry and concrete with cut nails, threaded

concrete nails, and powder or air-actuated fasteners.

When the spacing of the framing is too great for the

intended wallboard thickness, cross furring is applied per-

pendicular to the framing members. If the wallboard is to be

nailed to the cross-furring, the furring should be a mini-

mum of 2 2 inches in order to provide sufficient stiffness

to eliminate excessive hammer rebound. The furring (1  2

or 1 3 inches) is often used for screw and adhesive

attached wallboard.

The furring is attached by nailing with the spacing of

the nails 16 or 24 inches on center. The estimator will have to

determine the linear footage of furring required, the nailing

requirements, equipment, and labor hours. The labor will

vary depending on the height of the wall or ceiling, whether

straight or irregular walls are present, and the type of fram-

ing to which it is being attached.

198 CHAPTER SIXTEEN

EXAMPLE 16-1 STEEL STUDS

Using the small commercial building in Appendix A for an exam-
ple, all of the interior walls are framed with 3^5 ⁄ 8 inches wide metal
studs, 16 inches on center (1.33 ft). The walls behind the plumbing
fixtures are framed with 6-inch-wide studs. The quantification of
steel studs is performed in virtually the same manner, as are wood
studs. First, identify the linear feet of the wall by stud thickness. In
this example (Figure 16.3), the following linear footages are found:

35 ⁄ 8 -inch-wide wall—325¿ 4 –

6-inch-wide wall — 20¿ 8 – (Devising wall between restrooms)

(3^5 ⁄ 8 – wide)

Use 17 studs — 12¿ long (6– wide)

Number of stud spaces20.67¿>1.33¿16 spaces

6-inch-wide wall — 20¿ 8 – (Dividing wall between restrooms)

Use 246 studs — 12¿ long

Add 1 to get the number of studs

Number of stud spaces325.33¿>1.33¿245 spaces

Number of stud spacesLinear feet of wall>Spacing